Heating system



Aug- 30, 1949. M. L. MUELLER 2,480,596

HEATING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 18, 1944 @man Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES onere-n SSTEM Merit@ hl Mueller, Seattle, Wash.: Appnaeion Qeteber 18, 1944, serial No, 559,282

9 Qlairnsl Thie invention relates te heating Systeme A, nrineinel Qhieet ef the invention ie te hrevide a heating eyetem, ier dwellinee end. the like. which ie Particularly adapted te eiihely heeted er t0 the space in the dwelling by fereed erenleeh and hy thermesinhenie iew2 the thehneeihhenie flew being operable neen eessetien ei the fer-eed oiretilatian.

Another object ef the zeventien te provide e new and impreved heating Ysvetern. whieh ie eimple in constriietien, ehieeht in eneretieh, en@ relatively inexpensive. @est so that it heey he made available .fer use in eenneeteh with einen and/or low-.priqed dwellings.

Other objects and advantageg @f the invert: tion. will he apparent frein e. eeneideretien ei the fouowing speeineetien .te-hen .eehhineeen with the aeeempenving erawinee, ef whieh t ere is one sheet and wherein:

Fig, 1 is .a vertical seetiehe! View threiigh heuse illustrating, seniewher eieereenrneteehv, my new and impreved heating evstern;

Eig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a part of the system illustrated in Fg i; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of the circuit for the blower motor?. l

The house may include a basement lll, space l2 to be heated and adapted to serve as living quarters, and an attic space i4 thereabove. A ehimney I6 of masonry or other suitable con? struction extends upwardly from its base to and above the roof IVB of the building and provides atinesnherie vent 29 for the preenees ef cernbnstien.. A .eemhnetieh ehemher 22 hier he er* ranged in the pase of the chimney and have asseeieteel with it suitable Ineens 2'3 fer her-nine fuel en to generate .heated preeuete Q f Comfbustier;-

` A tubular heat .Inerhher 2.4 is erraneeel. in .Seid chimney .le and ,in Sheen@ reletio'n with .the wells thereof, the heet ereheheer member 2.4 at its lewer end ,beine erreheeel Se te reeeive the heated nrennets er eemhnsten eene ereted in the eemhustieh lehenlher ,2? and .te diret the upwardly, the interier .of the heet exchanger meniher .24 .ferreine hert er .a ,peth tier eendiietihe, .the .Prednets or eernbustieh freni the @eme-heheh ehemher to the etrnespherie vent 20! The heet eeieheneer rnerhher 24 v`et its eener end may termin. ehehe er the te? ef the ney ie and e heiiie er plete .26 ie hreyried ee es te the externally er the .heet erf changer niemeer '24 erle .therehelew treni the space @have the heet exeheheer memher A2A et whieh herrie@ er d 2 whieh ferme ner-e. er the nath ter eenehehhe ,fine eeeee te, ein@ inhere-Y The heee errehe er rnenrher 24! ehe ehiznnev le, eeenerate te ier-ende eenneereurrene heee .e ehenee. nethe fer the newer@ new ef the ereduete er eeinhnetien eine the siewnwehi Iiew e? air te he heated, one. er the eeths enrrehnene the ethere meter driven hlewer 28, hee its enhet arranged te deliver eirinie the eener en@ the en eeth 3.0 ene nneer e -hreeehre ereeter then that ef the profilierte .et eerhhnehen within the heeft ereheneer niemeer 24 The hlewer 28, ie erreneesi .te he driven hv e rneier?, the eirenit et whieh is eentrehed bei e thelrnleetehe ewt h e4 the himeteihe element ef which ,ie peer: tioned n the ue passageway just above the 'heat eeeheheer reen-ihrer 24,

The blower 28 hee ite inlet eehneetee te @he end er .e return eir duet 3,? whieh entends eereee the eeihne end eewnwereh hetween the eihel'ihhe ef the welle ef the heheel the ether ehd ef the ret-nen inet terminating ih en eeehhie ,4e eernmnnieehne with the eneee l? fer withdrew# ine te he he., 'e herefrene dering the ener: etien ef the hiewer 2h,

The iherrnestetie 'ewiteh ,34. new he Sei ee elpee the 1n er eirenit when the temheretere or' the ne reeneie 'henne frem the eener ehh er the heet exeheneer niemeer etteihe e nre.- deterniined degree, ier erern, e .225 deerees, Fe ehe! te open eheh meter Veinznt when' the temperature ei ,eheh ,eee-ee drehe te e. ereeeier ninee degree, :eey fer exemple 'e empereur@ ef 29,0 degrees F.-

The lewer end ef the eir hath 3!! .rney he termed bye tnhnler eine 4? Serre ,nde the lower end ef the heet ereheneer member., .the .levier end of such pipe 42 foilrnvng an aJ-iilula;` ontlet frere the eir eeth rer the 'eirwhieh hee heen heetee hy its he eee therethreheh The .Shane between the eine 42 and the lower end of the chimney, wh-ieh .may he enlarged in eieet een- Stituees" e Plenum e'lhernherfern Whiehnne er mere het .nir duets 44 eendhet heete eir te er? eines 4.6 whieh eiseheree heated ,air into the Seeee 1,2 ie ,he heated, Sneh nernher .ef .duets .4,4 en@ .endete e6 me? he provided YSe as to obtain Jehe desired eietrihhteh ef heated eir' during Qhereeienefthe ereeenl- Thee, .in the .System es eeserihed, when the ,rete i hete ef eenehuehen ane heing generated inthe combustion Chaniber l2i! `is eeiheientir hieh, the hlewer Ze will he .eeheee te ehereie ene eireulete air ,frern the spee te he.

heetee the ehehe 38 eir'peth'! an@ lil various rates of heat generation for different temperature conditions.

The system further includes provisions by means of which heat may be generated and supplied to the space I2 when the blower 28 is not operating. These provisions include a gravity cold air return 5S, one end of which communicates with the space I2 and the other end of which opens into the air path below the pipe 42. The communication between the cold air return 58 and the lower end of the air path 30 is adapted to be closed during operation of the blower by a gravity damper 52 pivoted at 54. The area of the damper 52 below the pivot 54 is greater than that of the damper 52 above the pivot 54 so that during the operation of the blower 2S the pressure in the air path 30 will keep the damper 52 closed. A weight 55 mounted on the damper above the pivot 54 is adapted to cause the damper to swing in a counterclockwise direction when the blower 28 stops so as to establish communication between the cold air duct and the lower end of the air path 30, the damper at such time being adapted to assume a horizontal position.

A damper-controlled vent 6B is also provided in the wall of the chimney I6 at an elevation materially above the damper 52. This vent 6G is also adapted to be closed during the operation of the blower 28 by a damper 62 pivoted atv64. The area of the damper B2 below the pivot 64 is materially greater than the area of the damper above the pivot B4 so that during the operation of the blower 28 the pressure of the air in the air path 30 will position the damper B2 so as to close the vent 60. The damper 62, however, is provided with a weight 66 which is adapted when the blower 2B stops to cause the damper 62 to pivot in a clockwise direction so as to open the I vent 66 and establish communication between the air path 39 and the space I2 to be heated. Thus, when the blower 28 stops, the dampers 52 and B2 will open, and if the heat exchanger member 24 is heated, thermosiphonic flow of air downwardly through the cold air returnv 50, upwardly through the air path 30, and out into the space I2 through the Vent 6B will be provided.

In this way, the system is adapted to supply heat to the space I2 to be heated under gravity circulation when the blower 28 stops. This not only provides for a continuous supply of heat to the space to be heated during the operation of the fuel burning means, but also provides a safety feature so as to dissipate heat from the heat exchanger member 24 in the event the blower 28 stops in the event of current failure or other- Wise when the switch 34 is closed. With this arrangement the wide fluctuations in temperature commonly experienced in forced air heating systems when the blower operates intermittently will be eliminated.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

I claim:

l. In a heating system having a vertical air passageway provided with an air inlet at the upper end thereof connected to the space to be heated for supplying air therefrom to said passageway to be reheated and an air outlet at the lower end of said passageway connected to the space to be heated for supplying heated air thereto, a blower' associated with the inlet end of said passageway and operable for effecting the forced circulation of air therethrough, an elongated heat exchanger member exposed to the air in said passageway for heating the same, a combustion chamber having fuel burning means associated therewith operable for supplying heated products of combustion to said heat exchanger member, an electric motor for driving said blower, a thermostatic switch positioned so as to be responsive to the temperature of said products of combustion adjacent the upper end of said heat exchanger member and operable for closing the motor circuit when the temperature of the combustion products reaches a predetermined degree and for opening the mot-or circuit when the temperature thereof falls to a `predetermined degree, said passageway being provided adjacent the upper end thereof with a damper-controlled outlet communicating with said space to be heated, means for automatically closing said dampercontrolled outlet upon operation of said blower and for automatically opening said dampercontrolled outlet upon stoppage of said blower, and a cold air return from said space to the lower end of said passageway, said cold air return being provided with normally open damper, and means for automatically closing said cold air return damper upon operation of said blower.

2. Heating apparatus comprising means dening a path for the thermosiphonic flow of air to be heated and including a vertically extending portion, heat exchanger surface arranged in said vertically extending portion in the thermosiphonic path of flow of the air to be heated and adapted when heated to effect a gravity circulation of air to be heated through said heating apparatus, said apparatus being constructed to provide -free ingress of air to be heated to said path and free egress 0f heated air from said path when said surface is heated, means defining another path for flow of air through said apparatus, -said second path including that part of said rst path having said heat exchanger surface arranged therein, means for effecting a forced circulation of air through said second path, other heat exchanger surface in said second path in addition to the heat exchanger surface exposed to thermosiphonic flow in said rst path, all of said heat exchanger surface being arranged for heating the air in its flow through said second path, said means dening said second path, said forced air circulating means and said last mentioned heat exchanger surface being arranged in such a manner as not to materially interfere with the gravity circulation of air through said rst mentioned path, said heat exchanger surfaces being arranged on the discharge side of said forced air circulating means, both of said paths -at each end thereof being connected `to the same space to be heated in such manner that the air which circulates through aar-casco 'both of said-paths is circulated through. the said space.

3. Heatingv apparatus comprising meansv defining a pathi for the thermosiphonic iow of airto be heated and including a vertically extending portion, heat exchanger surface arranged. in said vertically extending portion in the thermosiphonic' path of ow of the air to be heated and adapted when heated to effect a gravity circulation of air to be heated through said heating apparatus, saidapparatus being constructed to provide free ingress of air to be heated to saidpath and free egress of heated air from said path when said surface is heated, means including the vertically extending portion of the aforementioned path defining another pathv for flow of air through said apparatus, means for effecting a forced circulation of air through said second pathi heat exchanger surface in said second path in addition to that exposed to thermosiphonio flow in said first path, all of said heat exchanger surface being arranged for heating the air in its flow through said second path, said means defining said second path, said forced air circulating means and said last mentioned heat exchanger surface being arranged in such a manner as not to materially interfere with the gravity circulation of air through said first menti-cned path, said heat exchanger 'surfacesbeing arranged on the discharge side of said forced air circulating means, and means lfor preventing the ingress of air to and the egress of air from said first mentioned path during operation of s-aid forced air circulating means.

4. A heating system comprising a vertical air passageway having lan air inlet at the upper end thereof connected to the space to be heated for supplying air therefrom to said passageway to be reheated and an air outlet at the lower end of said passageway connected to the space to be heated for supplying heated air thereto, a blower ass-ociated with the inlet end of said passageway and operable for effecting the forced circulation of air therethrough, a heat exchanger member exposed to the air in said passageway, a -combustion chamber having -fuel burning means associated therewith operable for supplying heated products of combustion to said heat exchanger member, said passageway being provided adjacent the upper end thereof with a damper-controlled outlet communicating with said space to be heated, means for automatically closing said damper-controlled outlet upon operation of said blower and for automatically opening said damper-controlled -outlet upon stoppage of said blower, and a cold air return from said space to the lower end of said passageway, said cold air return being provided with a normally open damper, and means for automatically closing said cold air return damper upon operation of said blower.

5. A heating system comprising a vertic-al air passageway having an air inlet at the upper end thereof connected to .the space to be heated for supplying air therefrom t-o said passageway to be reheated and an air outlet 4at the lower end of said passageway connected to the space to be heated for supplying heated air thereto, a blower associated with the inlet end of said passageway and operable for effecting the forced circulation of air therethrough, a heat exchanger member exposed to the air in said passageway, a combustion chamber having fuel burning means associated therewith operable `for supplying heated products of combustion to said heat exchanger member said passageway being provided below the upper end of said heatA exchanger mem-ber with a damper-controlled` outlet communicating with. said space to be heated, means-V for automatically closing said dampercontrolled outlet upon oper-ationof said blower and for automatically opening said dampercontrolled outletA upon stoppage vof said blower, and a cold air return from said space to the lower end of said passageway, vsaid cold air retu-rnbeing. provided with a normally open damper,l and means for automatically closing said coldair return damper upon operation of said blower.

6. Ina heating systemhaving a vertical air passageway provided with an air inlet atY the upper endthereof connectedto the space tol 'be heated forsupplying air therefrom to said passageway to be reheated and an air outlet at the` lower end of said passagewayconnected to the space to be heated forv supplying heated air thereto, a blower associated with lthe inletend of said passageway and operable for effecting the forced circulation of air therethrough,l an el-ongated heat exchanger member exposed to the air in said passageway for heating the same, a combustionchamber having fuel burning means associated therewith operable for supplying heated products ofl combustion to said heat exchanger member, `an electric motor for driving said blower, a thermostatic switch positioned so as to. be responsive to the temperature of said produ-cts of combustion -adjacentthe upper endof said heat exchanger member and operable for closing the motor circuit when the temperature of the combustion products .reaches a predetermined degree and for opening .the motor circuit when the temperature thereof falls to a predetermined degree, means including a part of the afore-, mentioned passageway defining a -path for the thermosiphonic flow of `air from said space to be heated and 'back to said space, and means for preventing the ingress of air to and the egress of air from said path during operation of said blower.

7. A heating system comprising a vertical air passageway having an air inlet at the upper end thereof connected to the space to be heated for supplying air therefrom .to said -passageway to be reheated and an air outlet at the lower end of said .passageway vconnected to the space t0 be heated for supplying heated air thereto, a blower assocated with the inlet end of said pas- -sageway and operable for effecting the forced circulation of air therethrough, a heat exchanger member exposed to the air in said passageway, a combustion chamber having fuel burning means associated therewith operable for supplying heated products of combustion to said heat exchanger member, means including a part 0f the aforementioned passageway defining a path for the thermosiphonic now of air from said space to be heated-and back to said space, and means for preventing .the ingress of air to and the egress of air from said path during operati-on of said blower.

8. Heating apparatus comprising means defining a path for the thermosiphonic flow of air to be heated and including a vertically extending portion, heat exchanger surface arranged in said vertically extending portion in the thermosiphonic path of flow of `the air to be heated and adapted when heated to effect a gravity circulation of air to be heated through said heating apparatus, said apparatus being constructed to provide free ingress of air to be heated to said path and free egress of heated air from said path when said surface is heated, means including said vertically extending portion of the aforementioned path defining another path for flow of air through said apparatus, means for effecting a forced circulation of air through said second path, heat exchanger surface in said second .path in addition to .that exposed to thermosiphonic flow in said iirst path, all of said heat exchanger surface being arranged for heating the air in its flow through said second path, said means defining said second path, said forced air circulating means and said last mentioned heat exchanger surface being arranged in such a manner as not to materially interfere with the gravity circulation of air through said first mentioned path, said heat exchanger surfaces being arranged on the discharge side of said Aforced air circulating means, and means operable upon operation of said forced air circulating means for closing the inlet and outlet to said first mentioned path.

9. Heating apparatus comprising means defining a path for the thermosiphonie ow'of air to be heated and including a vertically extending portion, heat exchanger surface arranged in said vertically extending portion in the thermosiphonic path of flow of the air to be heated and adapted when heated to effect a gravity circulation of air to be heated through said heating apparatus, said apparatus being constructed to provide free ingress of air to be heated to said path and free egress of heated air from said path when said surface is heated, means including said vertically extending portion f Ithe aforementioned path defining another path for flow of air through said apparatus, a blower operable for effecting a forced circulation of air through said second path, heat exchanger surface in said second path in addition to that exposed to thermosphonic flow '8 in said first path, :all of said heat exchanger surface being arranged for heating the air in its flow through said second path, said means defining said second path, said blower and said last mentioned heat exchanger surface being arranged in such a manner as not to materially interfere with the gravity circulation of air through said iirst mentioned path, said heat exchanger surf-aces bem ing arranged on the discharge side of said blower, fuel burning means associated with said heat exchanger surfaces for supplying heated products of combustion thereto, an electric motor for driving said blower, and a thermostatic switch positioned so as to be responsive to `the temperature of said combustion products and operable for vclosing the motor circuit when the temperature of said combustion products reaches a predetermined degree and for opening said motor circuit when the temperature of said combustion products falls to a predetermined degree, both of said paths -at each end thereof being connected to the same space to be heated in such manner that the air which circulates through both of said paths is circulated through the said space.

MORITZ L. MUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,688,363 'Ieare v Oct. 23, 1928 1,694,392 Miller Dec. 11, 1928 1,760,459 Weed May 27, 1930 2,274,341 Mueller Feb. 24, 1942 2,289,206 Nessell July 7, 1942 2,348,834 Mueller May 16, 1944 2,363,696 Russel Nov. 28, 1944 

